Company Mission Statement: Best Practices And Examples

A company mission statement is not just a document reflecting the company’s plans; it is also a statement that inspires the teams and provides direction to the company’s employees. 

Moreover, it is also an instrument to give the company information and knowledge about the firm’s core values to the outer world. 

It’s indeed challenging to craft one. But with the tips and examples in this article, creating the company mission statement will be easier. You must be creative, practical, and factual while crafting the company mission statement.

Remember, a mission statement is not a long list of the company’s journey. It explains, in brief words, the strong purpose because of which the company exists. 

While you sit to craft a mission statement, you will not know where to start or which words to include. But the information given below will provide you with the best guidance.

How Are Company Mission Statements Supposed To Be?

Typically, mission statements are supposed to be short and sweet. But they should be exciting and the company’s driving force. 

It should inform the readers about all the relevant aspects of the company, its core values, and thinking. It has to be done rightly. A mission statement must deliver what it should to avoid ending up being jargon. 

In the mission statement, the words should convey the company’s purpose and why it exists. Now you know that writing a company’s mission statement is quite a human task, and it’s not rocket science. 

If you want to be modern, you can convert the mission statement into video format, as this has been the trend.

What’s The Difference Between A Company’s Mission And Vision Statements?

People think a company’s mission and vision statements are one and the same. There are some prominent differences that you need to know. 

• Vision is futuristic. The mission is what the company has been, is up to, and has its core values.
• A vision statement says what the company will be like shortly or after a particular span. The mission statement hints at present as to how the company is now.
• A vision statement provides the platform for future goals. The Mission statement tells what the company is and what its goals are at present.

What Makes The Mission Statement Of The Company So Crucial?

The company’s mission statement provides a platform for strategic planning. But there’s a bigger picture out there. Read on, and you will know why this setup of words is crucial.

1. Consumers respect and stay loyal to a mission-driven company.

A company works and exists just because it has to serve its customers. But, the customers have a long list of choices when choosing someone. It is seen that consumers stay loyal to the company or the mission-driven brand. 

Mind well; it is not always about saving the world, sustainability, or something with high fundamentals. 

The mission should be something that people can connect to. The company’s focus should be evident in the mission statement. People buy from those companies that stand high in purpose.

2. Employees connect with the mission or purpose of the company.

Employees work for job satisfaction, purpose, and development. A company with a vital purpose provides security to its employees. 

They like to work at a place where there is a robust leadership model and where the employees feel valued for their work. When the employees know that they work for some purpose, there will be better motivation among them. 

The employees like to take pride in their work, and hence when they are part of a workplace that is strong in its purpose, the employees become brand ambassadors for such brands.

3. The mission statement can set you up as a market leader.

It is enough to send the right signals to the customers and the employees. But there’s no harm when your company puts a great impression on the outside world through its mission statement. The outside world would perceive how you are and what you do through the company’s mission statement. You can position yourself as a market leader. 

When outsiders identify your company’s vital purpose, you can attract more investors and higher market capitalization. If the company’s mission statement appeals to the outer world, the company’s popularity will be viral, and nothing can stop it from treading its path ahead. 

Are you looking forward to writing the best mission statement for your company? You can write it effectively and it should have clarity, focus, plausibility, value, and inspiration. In a few words, it should cover the maximum.

How To Write A Company’s Mission Statement Effectively?

It’s easy to understand how to write the company’s mission statement and what to cover. But when you sit to write one, you might need clarification. To stay away from confusion and irrelevant thoughts, here’s how you must move on.

Ask yourself a few questions.

While you write the mission statement, the first thing you must do is ask yourself, ” What is your business? How does the company carry out the business? Why does the company exists? 

Try to answer these questions from the point of view of the customers. Jot down the ideas and the answers that you get. At this point, you will have a lot of subject matter. But that’s ok. You will get curated words from these things only.

Use brainstorming techniques.

If you have been a solo founder, then start using brainstorming techniques. If you have a leadership team to help or there are other founders, too, then sit with them and use this technique. 

Ask the other members also to draft statements along with you. Everyone should use their style of writing. 

You never know what valuable ideas you will come up with after the brainstorming session. If the statement doesn’t come at this stage, but there are some unique words or curated phrases, then too, accept them. These phrases and terms will be helpful in the process.

Create a mission statement.

Now is the time to write an effective statement with the words that you have. 

You already have a lot of subject matter, and now you have to find a few words that would mean a lot. Write down three to four statements. 

You must review those statements, edit them, and place the words perfectly at this stage. 

Take a poll.

 If you are still deciding which statement works the best, you can come up with a poll. You can ask the top leaders to assist you in determining the mission statement. If you think you know the company better because you are the solo founder, then you make the final decision despite what came in the poll. To polish the statement, you may need a creative team. You can hire them from outside. 

So, here is the mission statement ready. Now, you need to find a suitable place where it will be printed. It would be best if you also displayed it on the office premises. Your promotional materials should also bear the mission statement. 

What Should You Avoid Common Mistakes While Writing The Company’s Mission Statement?

1. The mission statement looks like a passage.

The creators often try to cover everything about what the company does in the mission statement. 

It will make it look more like a passage. The mission statement is mainly about the purpose of the company. Something that is customer-centric and employee-appealing. Try to be as brief as short as possible.

2. The statement needs to include the company’s personality.

This mistake is also quite common when people come up with a mission statement. You wanted to make something, but it was quite different. 

If the mission statement doesn’t have the company’s personality, then it would not belong to the company. You try to make it fancier, and in that run, you miss the most important things. Try to avoid such mistakes.

3. The statement looks like a set of jargon.

There’s a common misbelief that a mission statement should have jargon and buzzwords. But in reality, the mission statement should be a clear and focused statement about why the company exists. Try to make it natural and more human than something your company will never identify with. 

4. You need to catch up to your instincts and follow what the leadership team says.

If you were a solo founder, you would have more idea about why the company exists and its goal. You might have done brilliant work if you came up with a mission statement based on these facts, values, and instincts. 

When you present this statement in front of the leadership team, there are chances that they will have mixed reviews over this. 

You may even get to hear a few conflicting ideas. Try not to lose. Often, leadership teams influence the man of the company, and then there’s self-doubt about the mission statement. Try to stay firm and stick to what you think is right.

5. You pretend to be a deity.

This mistake often puts you in an unrealistic state. The company mission statement should be factual and promise only the things it can deliver. 

To make the mission statement appealing, you might end up writing or promising something that you can’t offer. Try to present the mission statement as an ordinary man with a great purpose. It’s not a deity, for sure.

Company Mission Statement Examples

Here are some examples of company mission statements:

1. Google: “To organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful.”
   
   
2. Tesla: To accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy.”
   
   
3. Amazon: To be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online.
   
   
4. Nike: To bring inspiration and innovation to every athlete in the world.
   
   
5. Patagonia: Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.
   
   
6. Microsoft: To empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
   
   
7. The Coca-Cola Company: To refresh the world in mind, body, and spirit; to inspire moments of optimism and happiness through our brands and actions.
   
   
8. Airbnb: To help create a world where you can belong anywhere.

These company mission statements illustrate how a mission statement can encapsulate a company’s purpose, values, and goals.

A well-crafted mission statement can guide decision-making, inspire employees, and help differentiate a company from its competitors.

You can check Amazon and Starbucks‘ mission statements. They are up to the mark and perfect in every sense. 

Starbucks’ mission statement: To inspire and nurture the human spirit – one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time.

This mission statement works because the company touches on the coffee culture and people’s need to socialize. The statement doesn’t overstretch itself. It just says its purpose.

Amazon also has a perfect mission statement that says it is the leading customer-centric company. It also uses words that say it is unique and no other seller likes it. It targets online buyers who wish to buy cost-effective products.

It means that Amazon’s mission statement works because it targets customers directly and defines itself as providing something that no one else can provide.  It also hints at its excellence and innovation with economical products for the buyers.

So, if you look at these two examples, you will know that, in a few words, one can peep deep into how the company is. It provides a hint about its strategies and management culture. What it delivers and how customers perceive them are covered in just a few words. It is not just a headline. It’s the breath of the company.

While the article says how to write a mission statement effectively, it will also be critical to know what mistakes people commonly make while writing a mission statement. Read on and try to avoid such errors.

Key Takeaways

• A company mission statement is important because it provides direction and purpose to the company.

• A mission statement should be brief and memorable, ideally with no more than one or two sentences.

• It should include the company’s purpose, values, and goals.

• A mission statement should accurately reflect the company’s identity and vision.

• It can help align employees, stakeholders, and customers around a common goal.

• A mission statement should be reviewed and updated periodically to ensure that it remains relevant and accurate.

• A variety of stakeholders should be involved in creating a mission statement, including employees, management, and customers.

• A well-crafted mission statement can help guide decision-making and strategic planning.

• It can also help establish the company’s brand identity and reputation.

• A company mission statement can be a powerful tool for attracting and retaining employees and customers who share the company’s values and goals.

Conclusion

With all the above discussion, it is clear that the company mission statement is a combination of realistic, logical, and emotional elements of the company and its objectives. 

The company or the brand should connect with the customers and appeal to the employees regarding the purpose. 

It provides an idea about how the company differs from the others and what makes it a leader. The mission statement should include brand value, goal, and purpose. 

Creating a mission statement needs time, creativity, innovation, and knowledge of facts about the company. Once the mission statement is ready, it should be part of the website, promotional material, and the workplace to remind those associated with the company’s goals and purpose.

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